House hopes to send Charter amendments to Comelec before Holy Week

MANILA, Philippines — Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II on Monday said the House of Representatives is aiming to submit the approved amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) before Holy Week.

Gonzales, in a statement, said the proposed amendments will be sent to the poll body once approved by the House and the Senate before it “goes on its Holy Week recess next month.”

“[The proposed amendments] would be transmitted to the Comelec, instead of to the Office of the President, for the scheduling of a plebiscite for their ratification by the people,” said Gonzales.

Comelec chairman George Garcia assured lawmakers that the poll body will be ready to accept the proposals even amid its “too tight timelines.”

“We will comply per our mandate in accordance with the Constitution,” Garcia told reporters through Viber.

“This, despite the already too tight timelines of the Commission,” he added.

Certain economic provisions in the 1987 Constitution are currently in the process of being amended, amid a push by Congress.